Match Report : 03/10/2015

Blackpool made it back-to-back wins for the first time since 2013 after grinding out a thoroughly deserved victory over Swindon Town at Bloomfield Road.

Mark Cullen was the hero once more, heading Henry Cameron’s corner home, with the assistant referee confirming the ball had indeed crossed the line.

Guilty of missing a host of chances to kill the game off, but Blackpool showed tremendous commitment to the cause, with Tom Aldred typifying that with a full-blooded performance.

The victory followed up Tuesday’s success over Chesterfield nicely and kept them in the bottom four on goal difference alone.

With Swindon sticking to their style of playing out from the back, Blackpool attempted to get in amongst them early on, and Jack Redshaw fired the first warning sign wide from distance.

The visitors were bossing the possession, but Tom Aldred saw a volley blocked and Brad Potts acrobatically shoot over, as Pool carved out the chances on goal.

And for all the eye-catching, passing football on show, Blackpool took the lead in scruffy circumstances. Cameron’s corner was headed over the line according to the assistant referee by Cullen.

Both the striker and Clark Robertson wheeled away claiming the goal, but the tannoy announcement of Cullen settled it his way for his second goal of the week.

The confidence then began to flow out of Blackpool, who saw Cullen denied by the feet of Lawrence Vigouroux moments later.

On the stroke of half time Brad Potts’ thunderbolt free-kick was palmed around the post impressively by the stopper, as Blackpool reluctantly went in for the break.

Half Time: Blackpool 1 Swindon 0

Due to a calf injury, David Norris was replaced at the break by Bright Osayi-Samuel, with Jim McAlister moving inside.

And the young winger could have made it two within the opening stages of the second half. First he forced Vigouroux to tip over with a one-handed save, before shooting at the stopper with his left foot.

It took Swindon 56 minutes to truly test Colin Doyle, who shot off his line to deny Jonathan Obika. And at the other end it looked for all the world that Blackpool had got their second.

Potts powered forward on the counter attack and cannoned an effort off the upright, with the ball bouncing across the face of goal and away from danger.

The contest was certainly more entertaining after the break and Henrik Ojamaa whipped an effort onto the roof of the home net.

Neil McDonald opted to make his second change 63 minutes, with John Herron replacing Cameron. And the chances kept coming for the hosts, with Osayi-Samuel again misfiring when slipped in by Redshaw.

Herron then fired wide at the near post, with the contest entering a critical stage. With 15 minutes remaining goalscorer Cullen was replaced by Kwame Thomas.

Potts then fired over twice in quick succession for The Seasiders, who were keeping their opponents at bay, without killing them off.

Their resolute defending was typified by Aldred, who threw his body in the way of Nicky Ajose’s effort, before Jermaine Hylton dragged the follow up wide.

As the board went up for four minutes added time Doyle saved from Jordan Turnbull to lift the anxiety around Bloomfield Road.

And they held out for the remaining minutes to record back-to-back victories for the first time since 2013.